VIZUVLGVDS

VIZUVLGVDS: The Gvd in you

VIZUVLGVDS, (pronounced visual Gods) is an African fashion designer brand that focuses on contemporary African art. The brand, founded by Nigerian, Muktar Onifade, strikes the balance between minimal engineering lines with West African inspired garments. VIZUVLGVDS is made in Nigeria.

Muktar Onifade

Since the founding of VIZUVLGVDS in 2013, Muktar Onifade has released three collections. Muktar’s vision is to release collections that are African inspired without the wax print. The VIZUVLGVDS capsule collection includes the herdsman short and the Fulani tee. According to the designer, Muktar Onifade, “The vision behind this capsule series is to create a high quality cut, and sew pieces that highlight the unique heritage and legacy of the various indigenous tribes in Africa.”

United in our differences

As a continent, we like to think of ourselves as one, but on the other hand, our customs, languages, rituals, culture, and our spirituality is what makes us unique and differentiate us. Being different is a good thing, and that is exactly what we celebrate here at JANET + GEORGE. Our uniqueness is what unites us.

The Nuer tribe

On the above mentioned note, Muktar Onifade took inspiration from the Nuer scarification for his capsule collection. A quick snippet on VIZUVLGVDS website reads the following:

The Nuer people are a Nilotic ethnic group primarily inhabiting the Nile Valley. They are concentrated in South Sudan, with some also found in southwestern Ethiopia. They speak the Nuer language, which belongs to the Nilo-Saharan family. The Nuer are related to the Dinka people of South Sudan with whom they share customs, languages, myths, and culture. Despite the many conflicts, the Dinka and the Nuer have intertwined their lineages and community since their origin. As one of the largest ethnic groups in southern Sudan, the Nuer people are pastoralist who herd cattle for a living. The cattle of the Nuer people serve as companions and a lifestyle. However, they refer to themselves as “Nath”. The Nuer people have historically been under counted as a result semi-nomadic lifestyle the community engage, as well as lack of proper national statistic about the community.

The Nuer also known as the Nei Ti Naath roughly meaning original people are a confederation of tribes located in South Sudan and western Ethiopia. Collectively, the Nuer form one of the largest ethnic groups in East Africa. They are a pastoral people who rely on cattle products for almost every aspect of their daily lives. The Nuer border such tribes as the Dinka, Anyuak, Shilluk and other minor tribes in both Ethiopia and Sudan.

The Nuer receive facial markings (called Gaar) as part of their initiation into adulthood. The pattern of Nuer scarification varies within specific subgroups. The most common initiation pattern among males consists of six parallel horizontal lines which are cut across the forehead with a razor, often with a dip in the lines above the nose. Dotted patterns are also common (especially among the Bul Nuer and among females).

Forbes Africa 30 under 30

Muktar Onifade was recently featured in Forbes Africa 30 Under 30. Read more about the Nuer and discover the VIZUVLGVDS collection here.